At 7:35pm on Thursday, December 18th, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu tweeted the following:

"2014: We funded $47M in street repairs & filled 25K potholes. We heard you @FixMyStreets - with more to come in 2015"

The Mayor also included this picture:

Fix My Streets Board Member, Eric Songy and his two grandchildren in the Bocage neighborhood of Algiers.

Fix My Streets (FMS) board member Eric Songy took a plate of brownies (for real), and a few pics of the road work progress in his neighborhood to Mayor Landrieu's office. Moved by the nice gesture by Eric and his two grandchildren, Mayor Landrieu sent that tweet.

BROWNIES!? Why we didn't think of this 6 months ago!?

When we launched Fix My Streets (FMS) in May of 2014, we were thinking about yard signs. Now, after a long year of your constant social media + grass roots action, we've become an organization that has the support of thousands. Because of your efforts, we are also an organization that has the support of city leaders.

Does this tweet solve all of the street issue problems in New Orleans?

Not even close.

What it does do, is solidify the fact that your action has gotten an official reaction. Mayor Mitch Landrieu and city leaders have heard how upset New Orleans citizens are over the condition of our streets. They are finally beginning to take action, when for so many years, the issue was being kicked down the road for future generations to deal with.

What will 2015 mean for Fix My Streets?

In early January, the New Orleans Department of Public Works will host a meeting to talk about repairs being made in Lakeview with FEMA funding. Fix My Streets will make sure to spread the word on these repairs as soon as possible. Shortly after this DPW meeting, FMS will hold a group session for neighborhood leaders and those interested in joining our organization as volunteers.

We will continue to update on our progress through this website and our social media.

Remember, this is a marathon, not a sprint. One tweet doesn't fix our streets, but it shows progress. With your help, we pledge to keep the city on task.

Also, many thanks to Bocage President Eric Songy for helping to organize the meeting. It couldn't have happened without Eric's hard work.

The people of Algiers showed up in force to listen to what Sewerage and Water Board Executive Director Cedric Grant, Public Works director Mark Jernigan, and other New Orleans city officials had to say.

Their message boiled down to this, they have contracted a survey company that works like Google Map trucks, to officially document every inch of New Orleans streets. The rest of the presentation was something we've seen before, slideshows featuring science behind street repair and big numbers regarding cost.

The Algiers residents in attendance last night weren't the happiest folks. Many feel that when it comes to city matters, they are usually last on the list to be thought of. In regards to street repairs, they have some of the worst streets in Orleans parish and many of them have been that way for a long, long time. You could feel the frustration in the gymnasium last night.

While last night's meeting didn't result in any fixed streets, it did show the city leaders that the citizens of New Orleans are not letting this issue go.

A few months ago, the city wasn't even responding to the Fix My Streets campaign, let alone attempting to create a plan. Yes, we have a LONG way to go, but they are starting to do something.

Is it the right "something"?We don't know yet.

How will we pay for this?We don't know yet.

Will the streets ever get fixed properly?We don't know yet.

Here's what we DO know... because of the swell of support from people like you, this movement has gotten the city of New Orleans to start working on a long term solution.

As you continue to join our ranks, we will continue, as a group, to put public pressure on the city to keep things moving. Look, if we're going to get anything done, we have to work with them. By continually making your stories of nasty New Orleans streets public through yard signs, social media, and this grassroots movement, we will remind the city that this problem will not be forgotten.

If you'd like to volunteer to join the Fix My Streets campaign, and help us to further organize our efforts and evolve into a New Orleans force for change, please email info@fixmystreetsnola.com

We will not rest until the streets of New Orleans are properly fixed for future generations. We thank you for helping us to keep the wheels turning.

For a tourist, New Orleans is the greatest destination in this country for culture, events, fun, and so much more.

Which is exactly why we love to call it home.

What happens when crumbling infrastructure starts to get noticed by the people that pump blood through the economic veins of New Orleans?

They stop coming.

They stop spending.

Fix My Streets received the following email, completely unexpected, from a tourist who had recently explored New Orleans...

To Whom it May Concern,

I'm an American in my 40's, but until last month I had never been to your culturally rich and historically significant city. I stayed in an independent hotel near the garden district and explored N.O. on foot and by car.

Long story short: the streets were so bad that it put a damper on my entire visit.

I almost regretted visiting in the first place. I'm not exaggerating. The potholes, missing street signs, sidewalks, faded/worn crosswalk paint, etc.. were all so bad that I decided I will never return to NOLA unless I see a report on the national news stating that your city has completed a major street repair project.

This may sound melodramatic, but I have to say that I was truly shocked at the condition of the streets... I've never seen anything like it.

I visited some neighborhoods where I found it hard to believe residents drove on the streets on a daily basis. I could not drive close to the speed limit for fear of damaging my vehicle.

I saw nice homes for sale on streets that were absolute deal breakers for any buyer. At one point I said to myself that if I had to live here I'd have to drive a large SUV just to safely navigate the street terrain.

Why should my experience and opinion matter to your city's leaders?

My experience and opinion should matter simply because I'm the kind of person that your city wants to have paying your city hotel tax, and employing your over 70,000 tourism workers. I'm here to spend money on historically/culturally oriented things like tours, musical performances, museums, and historic hotels...as well as dining, shopping and gambling.

My household income is $150,000+. I tend to return to places I've visited and enjoyed (i.e: Key West, Savannah, Orlando, etc.) I'm here to have a good time without being destructive or rowdy. So, in these regards, I'm the type of tourist your city should want as a repeat visitor... my opinion should be of great concern to your city and business leaders.

I realize that your city has faced one of the most significant crises in our country's history. I'm sure Katrina decimated the city's funds. Unless you are planning to close up shop completely, the roads are a pretty basic priority after water and electricity.

Sincerely and Regretfully,

Geoffrey T.St Petersburg, FL

Here's what is really scary.

Geoff probably told plenty of friends and family about his experience. Are those people going to skip out on coming to New Orleans because they're afraid of the scarred roadways?

If this letter doesn't scare the you-know-what out of every citizen and city leader of New Orleans, nothing will.

If you care about the future of our great city, please share this letter with everyone you know. By staying angry and organized, we can keep the pressure on our leaders to fix the streets of New Orleans.

Hopefully this process gets started soon so we can welcome tourists like Geoffrey back to New Orleans with open arms... and smooth streets.

On July 22nd, #FixMyStreets had its first Town Hall meeting. City council members Susan Guidry, Stacy Head, Jason Williams and Jared Brossett were there, as were Senators Ed Murray and J.P. Morell as well as the major news networks in New Orleans. Also in attendance were Cedric Grant Deputy Mayor of Facilities, Infrastructure and Community Development, Lt Col. Mark Jernigan, Director of Public Works and General Superintendent of Sewerage and Water Board Joe Becker. Most importantly, the citizens were there. It was standing room only for 700 citizens; the night was a success.

Obviously, not a single street has been fixed since, nor has a plan been hashed to fix a street, but the night was a success.

For our Town Hall meeting, the measure of our success is based largely in the attendance and interactions of everyone present. Leading into the meeting, our message was crystal clear about what our goal was for all interested parties: to build on the momentum of Mr. Lupo's #FixMyStreets campaign by having an organized presentation and a civil discourse about what the problems are and how everyone would rally together in the coming months to start finding solutions and to include everyone: elected officials, representatives and citizens.

We hope to continue the success of that night into the future by creating both measurable goals and a plan for completing the task.

LCIA President Ann LeBlanc spoke briefly about the source of the streets problem in New Orleans, and then turned her attention to how the organization would grow from a passionate plea into a real set of solutions that will ultimately #FixMyStreets.

We identified 6 of them to move forward with:

We need citizen solidarity and support. This means that we have to understand it will take many volunteer hours. We will need to support and address all ideas and potential solutions that are brought to the group. We have to understand that paying more, in some way, is a possibility.

The organization needs total inclusivity. It is important to know that this problem does not affect only one part of the city. Additionally, it is going to require support from both elected officials as well as the citizens.

There will need to be cooperation. Without knowing what solution is today, we know that we must have cooperation from both local government, private entities, the Louisiana Department Of Transportation And Development, and the federal government.

Most important, there must be transparency and trust. All parties must be forthcoming with information, open and transparent. Transparency builds trust; and in our case, it builds trust where trust doesn't already exist.

In realizing the magnitude of the streets problem, creativity is essential in finding a workable solution.

Finally, the solutions found must be sustainable. Long term, New Orleans streets not only need a plan to be fixed, but they also need a plan to be maintained.

With the goals laid out, Ann then handed the presentation off to Freddy Yoder, LCIA's Vice President and Committee Lead for Infrastructure. Freddy then unveiled a draft outline of a plan of action that would take #FixMyStreets to the next level, similar to how Lakeview responded in bringing back the neighborhood after Katrina.

The #FixMyStreet's Five Point Plan consists of:

Step 1. Bring everyone together during the July 22, 2014 Town Hall Meeting. This was the crucial first step required to bring organization, clarity, and respect to the movement that was already underway.

Step 2.Organization. After the Town Hall Meeting, #FixMyStreets will start soliciting volunteers and organizing into an executive committee and subcommittees each with their own set of goals.

Step 3. Form A Citizens Group. This group is crucial in crowd sourcing the evaluation of streets in New Orleans end to end.

Step 4.Resolve committee research and data into a report. After committees complete their goals, the new found wealth of knowledge will be consolidated into a master report.

Step 5.Disseminate full report and evaluate options. At a future Town Hall meeting, Fix My Streets will explain the results of the committee and citizen process it had put in place. At which point, there will be several potential answers on the table that the citizens will have to weigh in on. All of these steps must be in concert with our elected officials, with their resources and expertise, as with outside experts’ input.

In the end, it appeared that #FixMyStreets got the attention of the elected officials that were present during the night. Some had assured that if the citizens we were willing to put forth the effort and make some hard choices along the way, they were willing to also put in the effort to solve this problem.

The movement now requests the mayor and his administration be engaged in this extremely important quality of life issue that has been ignored for decades. Our city must not continue to kick this issue down the road for future generations.

We can't thank Ann LeBlanc, Freddy Yoder, Ralph Schindler, and all members of the Lakeview Civic Improvement Association enough for their hosting duties. Without the LCIA, the meeting would not have come close to being as organized and effective as it actually was. Moving forward, the LCIA will play a pivotal role in the Fix My Streets campaign.

The coverage provided by the television, radio, print, and digital media of New Orleans was incredible as well. The FMS campaign would not be what it is today without the local media's commitment to covering this issue. FMS appreciates their efforts.

Last but certainly not least. Thank you, the citizens behind this movement, for showing up in such huge numbers. For coming prepared to ask smart questions, clearing us out over 500 yard signs, and so much more.

Obviously, we are all upset over decades of neglect of our city streets. By harnessing that emotion, and turning it into positive action, we have now officially engaged our elected officials. The first steps have been taken, and you are responsible for that.

#FixMyStreets understands that getting the streets of New Orleans fixed is a monumental task. City leaders have done a fantastic job resurrecting New Orleans post Katrina. This great city is already on a path towards a great future for all us...

By continuing to support and be part of Fix My Streets, we will all ensure that path is a smooth one.

If you are interested in officially becoming part of FMS, have questions, or are interested in getting your hands on a bright red yard sign, please email info@fixmystreetsnola.com

By the beginning of next week, the FMS volunteers plan to have a detailed account of every question, idea, and action that occurred at our town hall last night. We will also make sure to develop plans for another meeting as soon as possible. FMS wants to capture this momentum and make sure the movement doesn't lose steam.

FMS has officially invited Mayor Mitch Landrieu and New Orleans City Council Members to this meeting. Our goal is to have an official response by the city to the growing Fix My Streets campaign. We simply want our city leaders to tell citizens how they are going to fix the streets of New Orleans, across all neighborhoods, with a specific plan of action.

We have also invited neighborhood leaders from all over New Orleans. Fix My Streets has asked them to attend in order to officially represent their pocket of the city. We hope they come ready to ask plenty of questions.

At the bottom of this blog post, you will find the email invitations sent out to both city and neighborhood leaders.

This event is free and open to the public. If you support the #fixmystreets campaign, you, your family, friends, and neighbors should be there.

Also, we will have 400 "Fix My Streets, I Pay My Taxes." yard signs available for free, on a first come, first serve basis.

If you have questions, please contact us via email, info@fixmystreetsnola.com.

Thank you for your continued support. We will have more details closer to the event date.

As we have previously notified you, "Fix My Streets" has coordinated with the Lakeview Civic Improvement Association to hold a citywide town hall meeting to discuss the future of the city's neighborhood streets and infrastructure.

"New Orleans is on a new path to greatness. Without a long term plan to fix our streets, we threaten our road to recovery."

We are requesting that our elected officials participate in this discussion and join the 400+ representatives of citywide civic associations who are requesting this pressing issue be addressed.

We've been working in a secret bunker located inside a large pothole somewhere in New Orleans. Fortunately there are so many large potholes out there, our secret location is probably pretty safe!

We have news.

Check out our latest press release:

New Orleans – June 18th, 2014 - The Fix My Streets Nola campaign, which started with a few yard signs in Lakeview, is crossing the river!

Fed up with the condition of streets on the West Bank, Bocage Civic Association President Eric J. Songy immediately inquired about helping to spread the word of the Fix My Streets campaign. “We have a huge number of manhole volcanoes all over West Bank neighborhoods,” says Songy, a dedicated community leader.

The Bocage Civic Association will be bringing the Fix My Streets Campaign to Algiers and the Westbank with a rally on Thursday, June 19th, at 6:00pm on Carlisle Ct. between Rue Delphine & Rue Mignon.

Songy says you can't miss the rally meeting point because the site is located at “the biggest pothole (street cave in) in the neighborhood that has been overgrown with grass for at least 10-15 years.”

Fix My Streets Nola's current mission is to unite New Orleans residents under their yard sign and social media campaigns in order to provoke city leaders into specifically address fixing the streets.

Here's the deal.

We'll have another sign giveaway next week.

The Fix My Streets Nola crew are trying their best to organize raising funds and buying signs to give out. We promise, you'll eventually get one.

We also hope to announce soon the BIGGEST event Fix My Streets ever organized. One that will hopefully force city officials to at the least, address a specific plan for fixing the streets of New Orleans.

We appreciate you hanging in there and still being super active on the social media stuff.

Also, if you have ANY suggestions for any way to improve this campaign, please email info@fixmystreetsnola.com... We will respond.

First of all, thank you for turning #fixmystreets into a full fledged #nola wide movement!

Last week's sign giveaway was a HUGE success! We ended up giving away 200 signs and selling a bunch of t-shirts in just a matter of a few hours. All the television news stations came out to cover the giveaway. Because of their TV, web, and social media coverage, lots of new #fixmystreets supporters have joined the ranks. We are thankful that the New Orleans' media care.

So many people told a tale involving a pothole and car repairs. There were many stories of family and friends who won't visit folks based on their street conditions. The pothole related problems were endless.

This is why #fixmystreets has grown so quickly. The citizens of New Orleans are tired of the street conditions affecting their lives.

NEWS AND NOTES

First, the yard signs.

We are working on printing a new batch. Many people requested that the original sign, "Fix My Streets. I Pay My Taxes." make a comeback. We agree. Hopefully more yard signs will be ready to go shortly.

If you are interested in one of those cool "fix my streets" t-shirts, please call Lupo Enterprises, (504) 283-3421. They are $20 each with all net profit (after covering cost of printing) going into the yard sign fund. We are working on getting the t-shirts sales online.

As far as fundraising, we are working on a few solutions. One may make it easy to donate to #fixmystreets here on the website. We will let you know as soon as an option is available. Thanks to the folks who have already donated!

The Gambit #pimpmypothole contest is still going strong. Make sure you take a creative pothole photo by June 5th for a chance to win great prizes!

Listen for Fix My Streets Nola founder Robert Lupo on WWL radio (870am, 105.3fm) with Angela Hill. Mr. Lupo will be on with Angela between 2p-3pm today (5/28).

As we get more and more organized, stay tuned to our website and on social media.

Once again thank you for supporting #fixmystreets #nola. We hope you had a great Memorial Day weekend!

Yard signs will be available for free on a first come, first serve basis, while supplies last. “Fix My Streets” t-shirts will be available for $20. All net profit (money leftover after covering cost of shirts and tax) will go towards buying more yard signs!

We know for a fact that we won't be able to get signs to everyone that wants one. We will most likely run out tonight. Please be patient with Fix My Streets Nola. We're working on a few different funding options in order to cover all of New Orleans with bright red signs!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us via email (info@fixmystreetsnola.com).